Chapter 7 Betrayal and Treachery
Romsca fell into a light sleep on her father's cabin's window seat, rocked into slumber by the endless waves. Xzaris was understandably cross with her, and while Romsca did feel guilty, something wouldn't let her go apologize.
He'll get over it. It's best to just leave him alone until then.
Romsca knew the voice in her head wasn't entirely correct, but she didn't feel like arguing with it. Or maybe she was just too proud to do what she knew she needed to.
She curled up on the old cushions of the seat, letting herself drift even farther into the world of dreams. She'd promised her father she wouldn't leave this ship, and she wasn't going to.
The door slammed open the next second, the loud bang bringing Romsca awake in an instant. Rafglan ran in, placing a gray object on the table.
"Rafglan, what's going on?" Romsca knew her father's first mate would know exactly what was happening back at the battle.
"We've won .. we killed most of 'em, but we have a few prisoners." The rat panted, regaining his breath.
Romsca pointed to the shell on the table. "But what's that? Is it ..."
Rafglan opened the lid, and the pearls inside glimmered in the light of the one lantern. Romsca started forward with a gasp, running her paw across the smooth orbs. "They're .. even more beautiful than I thought they'd be .. we have to give them to Ublaz?"
"I'm afraid so." Rafglan nodded. "Sure wish we could keep 'em .. but ya know, it's them or yer dad's life."
Romsca felt a trickle of cold run down her spine. "Yea .. of course."
Xzaris and Rubby had both come in too, to look at the great treasure of legend. Rafglan interrupted their staring, by nodding. "Well, I'm off. There's a whole lota lootin' ta do, an' I don't want ta be left outa it."
The rat departed, stating, "Keep those safe .. guard them with yer lives."
Rubby nodded. "Don't ya worry .. these is the most amazin' things I ever did see."
Xzaris watched him go, sighing. "I sure wish I coulda gone."
"Yer awful young ta be raidin'." Rubby observed. "Dont'cha worry bout it, there's a whole life a piracy afore ya. Now the crew's bound ta be mighty 'ungry after all this, I best go whip somethin' up ta make em tempt fate."
The old cook walked out, leaving Romsca and Xzaris alone for the first time since the incident earlier that day. Neither said anything .. Romsca didn't move to apologize, and Xzaris didn't seem to see any need to say anything either.
Romsca felt like she wasn't wanted .. and she couldn't blame him. Their first raid, and she'd messed up everything.
It was all my fault!
She tried to argue with her feelings of guilt .. but it wouldn't leave her alone.
"Alright, I'm sorry! I .. messed up." Romsca blurted, suddenly, not even meaning to.
Xzaris looked surprised for a moment, before nodding. "Yea."
Romsca was a little offended .. couldn't he say a little more than that? She sighed, muttering, "I'm gonna go help Rubby."
Xzaris shrugged. "Ok."
Romsca grumbled, tromping off toward the kitchens. When Xzaris was sulking and didn't want to talk ... nothing could make him. Not even an apology.
She made her way into the kitchens, stating, "I wanna help."
Rubby looked shocked, teasing, "You wanna help? What's up with that me little lazy helper?"
Romsca scowled. "None a yer business. Now what can I do?"
"Oh now, somethin's up. Since when did ya wanna help nobody? Come on, ya can tell ol' Rubby, he's good at keepin' secrets." The rat winked at her.
Romsca made a face, but gave in. "Xzaris is mad at me. I even said sorry, but he's still mad."
Rubby paused to taste his concoction, making a wry face. "Ugg, can't even stand me own cookin'. Now yer friend cares about ya a lot, don't ya ferget it. Xzaris'd give his own life ta save yers, an' from what I can see, ya'd do the same."
"But .. we never used to argue. Not hardly at all, and I wanted to tell him I didn't mean it .. but .. he won't listen." Romsca laid her head on her knees.
Rubby smiled. "Oh, little fights is just parta growin' up. An' I'm sure he did listen .. it'll blow over in a few days. Chin up honey, we've found that Ublaz's pearls, an' it won't be long fore yer back at Sampetra, a n' everythin'll go back ta normal."
The cook crossed his arms. "Now turn that frown the other way 'round, see?"
Romsca sighed, smiling a little. Rubby nodded. "That's better. Now ya wanted ta help? How 'bout ya feed those prisoners fer me?"
Romsca looked less than excited, but she nodded. "Alright."
Rubby stuffed a bowl of something sloppy and less than appetizing in her paws .. she wasn't even sure what it was. Eager to dispose of the mess and not eager to smell it, Romsca hurried down the corridor, through the galley with its empty benches and oars.
Some pirates kept oarslaves, but Conva had never been keen on them. If the crew of the Waveworm wanted extra speed, they had to row their own ship.
Romsca stopped at the door leading into the space that housed the brig, balancing the bowl on one paw as she grabbed the keys, hanging on a hook on the wall. She clamped the ring between her teeth, pushing the door open and walking in.
Flairnose and Graylunk were looking a little better than the last time Romsca had seen them, several days ago. Rubby hadn't asked her to come down here until now.
They still had dried blood matting their fur and wore rags .. what the lash had rendered their clothes to, but they looked up sooner, and their eyes were brighter.
And just like last time, Flairnose opened his big mouth. "Oh, if it isn't the liddle wench. Ya cook that mess yerself?"
Before Romsca had a chance to retaliate, and laughed. "Oh yea, I fergot. That ol' idiot does it. Well, where's yer liddle friend eh? He too much of a coward ta come this time?"
"Xzaris isn't a coward!" Romsca snarled at him, adding, "Just wait til we get back ta Sampetra! You'll get it then!"
Graylunk flattened his ears a little, slumping down some. Flairnose scowled. "Huh, that fool Conva. He needs us on the ship ... why'd he throw 'way four strong paws fer a little scrap a fur like ya? What's he see in ya anyway, eh? Tell me that."
Romsca growled, pinning her ears and showing her fangs. "My father loves me, that's why."
She remembered the last time she'd had to do this, and fitted the key in the lock, intent upon throwing the bowl in and getting away from these two fools.
"Is that so?" Flairnose sneered. "Ya really think that? Well I bet it's gonna be awful satisfyin' ta ya when that weaklin' of a father a yers kills us. Shouldn't ya git ta do that? I bet that ol' capt'n's the biggest coward in all of Sampetra .. he doesn't even deserve ta be a parta the House a Dragons .. fishbait, t's what he is."
Romsca could stand no more. She threw open the door, dropping the bowl on the floor as she whipped out her small axe. "Don't you dare say things like that about my father, Hellgates spawn! I'll make ya pay for it!"
In a explosion of fury, she lashed out with her axe, and the next second she felt herself fly against the wall, slamming hard against it as Flairnose screamed in pain.
Romsca struggled against the weasel's iron grip on her throat, vaguely wondering how he could possibly reach her while being chained to the wall.
Fresh blood poured down the weasel's face as he wrested the axe from Romsca's grip, panting, "I'll teach ya fer that one, ya little devil."
"Flair, come on! Don't bother wif her, let's just get out!" Graylunk was standing in the doorway, broken chains still hanging from his paws.
Flairnose sneered, raising the bloody axe. "A scar for a scar, liddle wench."
Romsca suddenly realized this was real, not a nightmare, and she reacted in the same second, lashing out with her booted footpaws and kicking Flairnose directly between the legs. The weasel howled, doubling over, and Romsca grabbed her axe, recoiling to strike the back of his neck.
Something flashed on the edge of her vision, catching her hard in the jaw and sending her slamming against the wall. She crumpled to the floor, gasping in a breath as she felt the sensation of falling into something, falling, falling .. endless falling.
"Flair, c'mon ya fool, they'll catch us an we won't git yer treasure Flair! C'mon, she's done in anyhow .. please c'mon ..."
The voice seemed far away, and at last it faded to nothing at all.
=Next=
Grath awoke to the sound of something metal being sharpened. She didn't move for a moment, just listened to the familiar swish of metal on metal as she let her vision adjust to the dark she was lying in.
The previous events came back to her, and she pleaded with her memory they were simply a terrible dream ... but they were too cruelly vivid to give her even a moment of hope.
"You're coming around, eh?"
The voice sounded like Waterlily's, though it was darker and more tense than the old otterwife's normal, pleasant tone.
"W .. Waterlily?" Grath's voice was a half sob as tears sprang into her eyes due to multiple accounts.
The swish of metal being sharpened ceased, and gentle arms wrapped around Grath in a hug. "Hush. Speak softly, they have yet to find us."
"My father .. mother .. Aqua .. Lutran .." Grath broke off, whispering, "And the pirates .. they .."
"I know." Waterlily's voice was grim. "They do what sea scum always do. Just like all the books say, they do what they're born to do .. kill."
She sighed. "I don't know what happened out there, all I know is you fainted outside my door and could've drowned. They haven't searched my cave yet, but they're swarming around .. there's no escape."
The old otter scowled, picking up a tarnished harpoon; the thing she'd been working on. "This was my father's once, something I've kept all these seasons. To think I'll have to use it again ... but no pirate will take me hostage, I'll die sooner."
Grath swallowed hard, whispering softly, "I ... I don't want to die. I want .. to live."
Waterlily said nothing a moment, before sighing. "Well .. while there's life there's hope, they say. But when the time comes, I will die a true warrior of Holt Lutra .. you would honor your family to do the same."
=Next=
The world was dark .. dark and rocking and aching and miserable. Romsca lifted her head with a groan, the first sensation she recognized being the salty blood that was dripping from the corner of her mouth and soaking her cheek.
She spit, hacking as she rubbed her head to clear it.
What had happened?
Oh yes. She'd come down here to feed the prisoners, Flairnose had taunted her .. and they'd escaped.
Escaped to steal her father's treasure!
Romsca sat bolt upright with a gasp of true horror, groping around the dim area until she came across the handle of her axe. She staggered to her feet, leaning against the wall weakly as blood rushed to her already aching head.
The ferret stumbled to the brig's bars, to find them leaning half open. She staggered out toward the door to the galley, spitting out some more blood that was coming from what felt like a cut on the inside of her mouth.
She shoved the door open, hurrying as best she could to the kitchen as a terrifying thought came to her .. what had they done to Rubby and Xzaris?
Romsca reached the kitchen's door, to find it closed. She pounded on it, crying, "Rubby? Rubby are ya ok?"
The cook's voice sounded almost relieved, almost cross. "Romsca? Yer alive? Those two prisner's locked me door 'fore I could stop em, an' they were talkin' bout going after some treasure ... lemme out!"
Romsca reached for her keys, to find she did not have them ... of course, to lock Rubby in, Flairnose and Graylunk must have taken them.
She shook her head. "I don't have them! They took them, and now they're probably ... gone ..."
The ferret paused a moment, before yelling, "I've got to help Xzaris, I'll come back!"
She stumbled up the hold's stairs, toward the forecastle and the captain's cabin. "Xzaris? Xzaris, are ya in there? Please be in there!"
There was no reply and Romsca shoved the door open to find no sign of her friend. She looked around, calling, "Answer me, please!"
There was a muffled sound from the shadows under her father's hammock, and she hurried over to them, pulling Xzaris out a couple seconds later.
The ferret was bound, gagged, and a little scratched up on top of it. Romsca drew her knife, cutting his bonds, and he ripped his own gag off. "What happened?"
There was a pause, and Romsca spit a little more blood out of her mouth, relieved the flow was slowing now. She shook her head. "I .. I'm not sure. Flairnose and Graylunk .. well I was feeding them .. Flairnose said something awful about you .. and me .. and my dad .. and I .."
She looked down. Xzaris stared at her. "And you went off on 'em?"
"Yea."
The ferret shook his head. "They took the pearls!"
Romsca looked to where the pearls had sat, and swallowed hard. "Oh no ... no, no, no ... dad's going to kill me!"
Xzaris seemed in a sort of daze himself. "No. But Ublaz will kill him."
"No." Romsca stumbled, falling to the ground. "No .. he .. he can't!"
"Those pearls were capt'n's only hope!" Xzaris looked almost angry. "This is why we crossed the sea, why we have ta fight ... why did you do it Romsca, why? How could ya? Yer dad's gonna die cause a this .. an' ya are too! I .. I don't want ya ta die."
The ferret looked away.
Romsca shoved herself to her feet. "I won't let it happen! This can't happen! I'll stop it! Come on, hurry! We have ta tell dad, he'll help us .. he'll catch them!"
Xzaris didn't move for a moment, before he stood. "Yer right, we can't give up .. hurry!"
=Next=
"Rasconza!"
The fox barely had time to look up, before Val jumped on him, plowing him over. "Hi!"
Rasconza blinked up at her. "Uhh .. yea. Hi."
"You don't know how glad I am ta see ya!"
Rasconza nodded slowly. "I think I can guess."
Val jumped up, pulling Rasconza back onto his paws. "But you won't guess what happened ta me. Seriously ... like try it. Guess."
"I'm not good at guessing, how about you tell me?" Rasconza stretched a little.
"I saw Ublaz's crystal ball!" Val looked pleased with herself.
Rasconza was confused. "I .. his what?"
Val nodded. "He has one. I get alla awful jobs in that dumb palace .. I get ta scrub stuff. I really hate that."
She made a face for a moment, as if imagining it, before continuing. "So cook gets mad at me hangin' about and tells me ta go get lost an scrub somethin'. An' I try ta. I get ta this cool ol' passage thing, and I mean .. who's gonna scrub anythin' when they can explore this cool passage. Especially when there ain't any Monitors watchin ya."
She looked expectantly at Rasconza, who raised an eyebrow. "Sounds risky to me, actually."
"Oh really. Where's yer sense of adventure, huh? So I sneak down it, and I get to this screen thingy. I shoved it open a little, an' here's this really nice room, silk curtains, colored screens on the windows .. like .. gold stuff. And then there's this ball thing on the table."
Val looked secretive. "An' then Ublaz walks up from somewhere .. I couldn't see behind that screen, an' he strokes the ball and says, "The Waveworm."
She did a good Ublaz impersonation. Rasconza blinked. "Conva's ship?"
"Uh-huh. And ya know what happens? This picture of some forest thingy shows up in the glass, an' I saw Conva! Or I think I did .. I only saw him .. like once before he left, so I mighta been wrong." Val shrugged.
"Wait .. You're saying Ublaz can see what Conva's doing .. when he's all the way across the ocean?" Rasconza scratched an ear.
Val shivered. "I think so. It was all pretty weird .. Conva looked pretty scratched up, like he'd been fightin' or somethin' ..."
Rasconza looked up at that point. "Are Romsca and Xzaris ok?"
"The two friends ya talk about .. that ya were with at the Feast of Spring? I've no idea, I couldn't see much. Just that sea capt'n Conva an some other grownups .. they were holdin' somethin' but I couldn't see it. Sure made Ublaz happy though .. he was grinnin' like a demon I'll tell ya .. acting like he could even hear what they was sayin'. I couldn't hear nothin' .. an I got outa there fast, fore he turned 'round an saw me."
She made a face. "He sure is creepy .. I came right ta ya after that."
Rasconza looked a little confused. "How'd you get out so fast?"
"Oh, that passage I found leads right ta the kitchen, an' Cook was sleepin. I sneaked out the scullery." Val explained herself.
Rasconza scratched his chin. "Could you get in the scullery, not just out?"
"Uhh .. sure? I do it alla time." She raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
Rasconza walked to the window of his manor, looking up at the palace, perched like a nest on the slight incline that the city was built upon. "I've got to make sure my friends are ok."
=Next=
"Dad!" Romsca bolted through the now dark and confusing woods of Mossflower, gripping her axe and a knife tightly. She turned around, looking at Xzaris, who was examining the ground. "Which way did they go?"
Xzaris traced his paw in the dirt for a moment, before jumping up. "This way, follow me!"
Romsca ran after him, glad he seemed to know what he was doing, for she'd never figured out the mystery of tracking.
The woods were night darkened, and both Romsca and Xzaris were finding it hard not to trip and fall .. Xzaris staying on his paws somewhat better, though not by much.
"Eeek .. oof!" Romsca let forth an undignified squeak as she tripped over a rock, rolling down a short incline. She staggered to her paws, jumping backwards into Xzaris as she saw what this new clearing contained.
Despite himself, Xzaris shared her sentiment. "Um .. let's keep goin'. Those lizards .. awful things."
He grabbed Romsca's arm, and she let him pull her away, stunned by the scene .. blood, torn fur and shredded clothing .. the remains of what had once been a creature bold enough to stand against a Monitor.
"Ya ok?" Xzaris was asking her, shaking her a little.
Romsca nodded, shivering. "Yea."
Xzaris looked dubious, and she lifted her head, stating decisively, "I'm fine. Now .. we must be close."
"Romsca? Xzaris? Why're you off the Waveworm, I told you to stay there." Conva sounded less than pleased, and Xzaris smirked dryly.
"Yer right, we're here. Ya wanna tell him?"
Conva looked from one to the other. "Tell me what?"
Romsca swallowed hard, before she suddenly blurted, "Dad .. I'm so sorry, it's .. I .. I did it. It's .. my fault."
Conva's expression went from cross to serious. "What happened? Are you two hurt?"
Xzaris shook his head, as Romsca looked down. "It was Flairnose and Graylunk .. they .. got out."
"What? How?" Conva was stunned.
"They taunted me .. I .. couldn't stand it, and I opened the door to give them something to shut them up .. but .." Now that she was talking, Romsca couldn't have held the story in if she'd have wanted to. "They weren't chained, somehow .. and they .. knocked me out for awhile."
Conva knelt beside her, wiping a little blood from her cheek. "That explains this .. well .. alright, you did well to tell me. Is Rubby still on board with the pearls?"
Romsca shrank back a little, whispering, "That's the thing ... they took the pearls .. I'm .. so sorry!"
Conva took a step back, voice an intake of air. "What? No ... they .. my pearls? They took them?"
"Capt'n, we can get 'em back!" Xzaris explained. "We can catch them, they can't be far!"
Conva looked up quickly. "You're right .. you two, gather the crew. We'll get my pearls back, and kill those traitors!"
=Next=
For Grath, the minutes seemed like hours .. terrible, dragging hours. It came to the place she wished they would be found just so this nightmare would end.
"I want to wake up." Grath whispered to nobeast in particular, and she knew her wish was futile. Still, she said it, because it came to mind.
She rubbed her arms, murmuring, "I really do."
There was a sudden scuffling outside the cave, and Waterlily froze in her endless pacing. She stared almost wildly at Grath a moment, before gasping, "What am I thinking?"
The otterwife ran to her young companion, shoving her in the shadows of a bookcase. "To ask the last daughter of Holt Lutra to fight and die? That is my destiny, I am old .. but you are young, you have a future, you can keep our legacy alive. They must not find you!"
"But I .." Grath began, but Waterlily clamped a paw over her mouth.
"Be silent. I'll hold them off .. whatever happens, don't give yourself away, do you understand?"
Grath swallowed hard, finally nodding.
"Good." Waterlily said no more, twirling her harpoon slowly as she walked back out into the main part of the cave.
Just as she did, a large rat burst in, holding a spear. The two beast stared at each other a moment, before the rat walked forward, fearlessly. "Drop yer weapon ol' one, I ain't gonna harm ya. Come quiet an' nobeast'll do nothin' ta ya."
Waterlily curled her lip defiantly. "After what you have done to my people, I would rather die then surrender. I've lived my whole life here, and by Ignasa, I'll die here, scum. And maybe I'll kill you while I'm at it!"
The rat lifted his chin. "Ya woodlanders are all mad, so I swear. If that's what yer wantin', I'll have ta kill ya."
"Enough talk filth, you don't know the meaning of bravery!" Waterlily swung her harpoon, clipping the rat's whiskers neatly from one side of his muzzle, and just missing tearing into his face.
He jumped back, a little surprised to find she was truly serious, but countered just as fast. The rat blocked her next downward cut, kicking her hard in the legs to unbalance her.
Waterlily cried out, but thrust her harpoon again, despite the rat's tricky move. However he moved like lightning, dodging the otter's trust and countering with his own.
The old otter stood frozen for a second as her harpoon fell from nerveless fingers, and moments later, she followed it to a floor stained with freshly spilled blood.
The rat yanked his spear from her, shaking his head and muttering, "Poor fools ... mad as any I've seen."
Grath hadn't moved, she honestly couldn't. She could feel the tears rushing into her eyes, even spilling from them, but after all she had seen, she felt numb .. frozen.
The rat was moving toward her hiding place now, but she couldn't make herself run. She wasn't sure she even wanted to.
Moment's before he would have found her, there was a youthful cry from the cave's mouth. "Hey, anybeast in here?"
=Next=
Romsca was desperate to find all the crew .. she had to help Conva find Flairnose and Graylunk, or Ublaz would kill him!
No. No, she must not think of that. This would all turn out alright .. it had to!
Romsca and Xzaris had gone different ways to move faster, and now Romsca splashed through the shallows of the river to the mouth of a cave, walking in and calling, "Hey, anybeast in here?"
Rafglan turned around in the dim light, spear glistening with blood. "Hoi, I though ya was on the Waveworm!"
Romsca forced herself not to look at the corpse of an otter lying in a pool of dark blood on the floor, gasping out her story. "Flairnose and Graylunk got out .. they stole the pearls, and we have to get them back! Capt'n needs you, now!"
Rafglan stared at her a moment, before nodding. "I'm on it, come with me."
He hurried from the cave, but Romsca paused as there was a slight clatter from a dark corner, and a movement. She wheeled about, weapons ready, as an otter about her own age seemed to fall into the dim shaft of light coming from somewhere overhead, almost like there was a sort of rift or skylight in the cave's roof.
The creature stared at her in frozen terror, tears spilling in dusty streaks from her eyes, as she shivered fitfully.
Romsca was truly amazed .. it was the same young girl she'd seen fishing just hours earlier. The otter wasn't glaring at her, she didn't look angry or anything like a monster .. she looked just as terrified as Romsca felt.
The ferret dropped her raised arm, lowering her axe as somehow, she felt remorse.
We .. did this to her. Maybe .. they aren't the monsters .. maybe we are instead!
Green eyes met green eyes for several frozen seconds, telling of fear, sorrow, pain ... so many things in common. In that moment, Romsca realized she could never kill this poor creature .. she could not bear to think of her dead.
"Romsca? Where are ya?" Rafglan's voice came confused from outside. "Are ya alright? Find somethin'?"
Romsca bolted into action, tearing her gaze from the otter's and walking quickly toward the cave's mouth before Rafglan could come in. "No, I'm fine. There's nothing in there worth taking .. come on. Let's get to my father, hurry!"
She ran out, praying that Rafglan would follow her .. and he did.
Back in the silent, empty cave, Grath stared at where the young pirate girl had disappeared, dumbfounded.
Why? Why hadn't she killed her?
Why had she stared at her with such sorrow, shock .. even pity? Could a vermin feel those things?
The otter shuddered, trying to push herself onto her paws, but her arms were too weak, and she collapsed to the floor.
She was done fighting.
Ignasa .. just let me join my family.
=Next=
"Crew, those two mutineers have run of with my pearls! Split into groups of three, and search these woods until there's not one place those filthy traitors could have hidden."
Conva glared around at his crew, adding, "And for the three that find them first, I'll pay each beast double wages!"
That made the crewbeasts who might have been dubious have vested interests in the mission, and there was a chorus of, "Aye aye, Capt'n!"
Romsca was watching, unsure of what she should be doing, and Xzaris came running up. "That everybeast?"
Romsca could hear Barranca giving orders to his own crew, and she nodded. "I think so."
Conva drew his cutlass, stating, "Alright, move out!"
"Wait."
Everybeast paused as the largest Monitor stopped directly in front of Conva. "Where you think you go? We return to Mazzter."
Conva sneered. "Not without his pearls. Come on crew!"
The pirates once again tried to move away, but all fifteen lizards had congregated around them, and they growl menacingly. Nobeast moved.
The large lizard showed its teeth. "We zzzaw, you zzent them to zzzhip ... now we go to Mazzzter."
Conva glared at the creature. "I'm telling you, my pearls were stolen, and we're going to get them back!"
"Your pearlzzz?" The Monitor flicked its forked tongue as it spoke. "They are Mazzter'zz pearlzz, not yourzzz. And we will take them to Zzzempatra."
Conva lost his patience. "You're mad. Out of my way, now."
He flicked his paw at the lizard, but it didn't back down as usual .. instead it jumped forward, tearing it's teeth across Conva's paw. The corsair yelled in pain, yanking his bleeding arm and paw away. "Fool, get back!"
The lizard licked Conva's blood from its teeth. "Go back to zzhipzzz, we won't kill you then."
The ferret captain held his bleeding paw, growling, "Look, the pearls aren't on the Waveworm, they were stolen. We're going to get them back. Now let's go."
The lizard cast a flitting glance at one of its companions, who lunged at the nearest crewbeast, a rat, throwing him to the ground. The first lizard gazed almost pityingly at Conva. "Thizzz izz the fate of thozze who defy the emperor."
The Monitor that had thrown the rat to the ground lunged forward again, grabbing the unfortunate beast's neck in its teeth and shaking its prey violently. The rat had time for one last shriek, before the lizard tore into its victim.
The largest lizard seemed to be the one sneering as it almost smiled at Conva. "Who'zzz next, Captain?"
Conva, despite himself, was far more cautious. "Look, we need .."
The lizard stalked forward. "Zzzhall it be you?"
Conva was forced to back away, pushing Romsca and Xzaris behind him as he did so, trying to keep his voice steady. "Fine. Fine, we'll go back. I'll show you there aren't any pearls on that ship."
=Next=
"You see my point?" Conva stood on the deck of the Waveworm, glaring darkly at the lizards. "There isn't a pearl on this ship. I've let you look all over it, now let me find my pearls! Before it's too late!"
The lizards watched him balefully, as the one that seemed to be the spokesbeast stalked forward. "You zzay too much, my pearlzzz. They are Mazzter'zz pearlzzz .. no gamezzz. You have hidden them, zzzhow them to uzzz."
Conva protested. "I tell you, I don't have them!"
He looked up at the sky as if for inspiration, adding, "I swear by Astraria!"
Barranca was standing nearby, watching with a grim expression, arms crossed. However, he failed to notice the two lizards that had walked up behind him .. until it was too late.
The stoat yelled as they plowed him over, tearing his saber from his side and pinning him to the ground. The first lizard sneered at Conva. "Zzzhall he be azzz your rat, Captain? Zzzhow us the pearlzz."
"No .. stop!" Conva's voice was truly desperate. "I'm telling the truth!"
The lizard lifted its head. "Liezzzz. All liezzz."
It jerked its head at Barranca, and one off the lizards tore its claws into the stoat's arm. The sea captain clenched his teeth together, biting back a scream, and Romsca tried to run forward, but Xzaris grabbed her, holding her back.
Conva held up a paw. "No! He's a sea captain ... to get more wealth, your Master needs captains! Killing him won't help your master!"
Nobeast moved.
The first lizard slunk forward. "Then even if you not zzzhow pearlzzz to uzz, we go back to Mazzter."
Conva looked wildly from the shore of Mossflower to his beloved brother, finally snapping. "Fine! We'll go back. We'll go back .. set the course for Sampetra!"
Crew beasts ran about to fulfill his orders, too terrified to dream of doing anything else. Conva jerked his head at the lizards. "Now let him go."
The lizard smirked. "No orderzzz from you. He will not die, but he will zzztay with uzzz zzo you do not dizzzobey Mazzter."
Barranca struggled at this point. "My crew needs me!"
One of the lizards holding him slammed his head to the floorboards. "They can zzzail zzhip alone .. thizzz will make zzzure they do not run away."
Conva's nostrils flared. "You're lying cheaters, all of you! You scum, do not harm my brother!"
The lizards were dragging Barranca down to their quarters now, and the large one turned, meeting Conva's gaze. "Liezzzz for liezzzz, Captain."
They disappeared down the hatch as Conva stared wildly after them, before pacing a little. Romsca watched in shocked sorrow, not even properly comprehending the nightmare she had brought to life.
She shook her head, rubbing her arms fitfully. Conva suddenly seemed to notice her again, and his eyes shown with broken trust and pain. "You .. did this? You let them out?"
Romsca looked slowly up, realizing the hated, weak tears sprang into her eyes. "I ... I'm sorry."
"It's not enough!" Conva's voice was sharp .. angry. "We will all die for this .. you have doomed us all!"
The corsair turned on his heel, stalking to his cabin and slamming the door behind him. Romsca swallowed hard, looking slowly around .. but not even Rafglan would meet her gaze.
She looked desperately to Xzaris, looking for one set of friendly eyes, just one. But her dearest friend dropped his gaze, turning and slowly walking away ... speaking neither a word to forgive or condemn.
Romsca stood for a few minutes on the empty deck, looking through a tear-blurred gaze at the slowly fading shore of Mossflower.
The ferret collapsed to the deck, hardly hearing her own, thin wail as she curled up, sobbing.
What had she done?
